Gas pedal



Sept. 8, 1931.

' 4 A. N/EsHElM GAS PEDAL Filed Dec. 16, 1929 Patented Sept'. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES ALBERT NESI-IEIM, OF EIDFJORD, NORVIAY GAS PEDAL Application led December 16, 1929, Serial No. 414,479, and in Norway December 18, 1928.

Gas pedals are usually employed for close regulation of the supply of fuel mixed with air to internal combustion engines. lVhen doing this regulation with the foot, very small difference in the position of the pedal will increase the speed, respectively decrease the speed of the automobile very extensively.

The regulation of the foot pedal is usually conducted in this way that the driver presses his foot against a suitable foot rest on the floor board and then with one side of the shoe or the toe presses against the head of the pedal. When increasing the supply of fuel to the motor, the foot is thus swung 15 around a rigid support, and the sole of the shoe will consequently describe an arc, whereby a frictional movement between the headV of the pedal and the sole must take place due to the' fact that the pedal rod m-oves in a straight line. This friction very often causes a rather difhcult close and small regulation of the supply of fuel to the motor. To prevent this drawback, the pedals have been designed with a roller on the top, and the present invention relates to that type of gas pedals Where means are provided for avoiding the above mentioned friction between the head of the pedal and the sole of lthe shoe.

In order to further reduce the friction between the plate 3 and the head 2 of the pedal, balls lll may be arranged in slots between the said members 2 and 3. Instead of balls, other friction reducing means may of course be used, as for instance rollers or the like. When the sole of the shoe is swung back or lifted, the spring 5 will force the plate 3 back into the position shown in Fig. 2.

According to this invention, the pedal is provided with a head which may move in a plane transversely to the direction of movement of the pedal rod. l/Vhen using the pedal, the sole of the shoe will then rest against this movable head, and the friction will be avoided.

In order to more clearly describe this invention, the following will explain a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings wherein Fig. l is a vertical cross section through the pedal head.

Fig. 2 is another vertical cross section through the head and in a plane which lies in a 900 angle to Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows the pedal in operation.

In the drawings, l is the pedal rod, which in this case is illustrated as a straight rod. rlhe upper end of the rod l is fastened to the head 2 by means of a screw' thread. Above the head 2, a loose plate 3 is provided, having 'depending in-bent sides 4, the lower end of which extends in under the outside edges of the head 2. The plate 3 is thus movable in a directionV which is transverse to the direction of force through the rod l. The head 2 is further provided with a suitable slot for receiving a spiral spring 5, which in the one end 6 is fastened to the head 2 and in the other end 7 to the moveable plate 8 and serves tobring the plate 3 back to normal position as shown in Fig. 2, when by means of the foot it has been pushed forward.

ln Fig. 3 the operation of the foot pedal is illustrated. When the front end of the shoe sole 8 is pushed downwards, it will swing around the heel 9 as a pivot, the heel 9 resting against the support 10 on the floor ll. The swinging movement of the sole 8 will be divided into two components, one in the direction of the rod l, indicated by the arrow l2, and another in the direction indicated by the arrow 13. The plate 3 on top of the pedal head will thus, when the sole of the shoe is presse-d downwards, move forward as indicated by the arrow 13, and there will thus be no friction between the sole of the shoe and the head of the pedal.

I claim as my invention:

A foot pedal particularly adapted to control the gas supply of motor vehicles, comprising a pedal head having a plurality of slots in the outer face thereof; a plate mounted on the outer face of the head and having in-bent sides which extend under the outside edges of the head, said plate having slots therein cooperating with the slots in the head; a spring in one of the cooperating slots secured at one end to the head and the other end to the plate', and balls arranged in the other cooperating slots in the head and plate adapted to permit an easy sliding movement of the plate on the head, the spring being adapted to force the plate to its normal position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name unto this speccaton.

ALBERT NZESHEIM. 

